Earth’s Terrestrial Biomes

Tundra •Average Temp (Summer: 12ºC Winter: −26ºC) •Average Yearly Rainfall 30 to 50 cm Adapt to: frozen soil beneath the surface (permafrost) soil is too shallow for deep-rooted plants Plants: grasses & small shrubs, mosses & lichens grow beneath the plants Animals: insects lay eggs in the mud, birds feed on the Insects, musk oxen, wolves, & caribou Permafrost = A layer of soil below the ground that remains frozen = Alpine Tundra Warmer than Tundra plenty of sunlight & precipitation found at the top of tall mountains trees cannot grow on mountain Hoofed mammals (goats, ram) small rodents Arctic Tundra

Taiga Forest = Coniferous Forest •Average Temp. (Summer: 14ºC Winter: −10ºC) •Average Yearly Rainfall 35 to 75 cm Adapt to: lack of light, cold temperatures, ground cover of needles Plants: coniferous trees (cones), low brush Animals: Squirrels, insects, & birds like finches, chickadees, & jays Herbivores: porcupines, elk, & moose CONIFERS = CONES

Temperate Deciduous Forest = where we live Average Temp. (Summer: 28ºC Winter: 6ºC) Average Yearly Rainfall 75 to 125 cm Adapt to: 4 seasons, drought, flooding, temperature changes Plants: deciduous trees, fruit and flowering bushes, seeds & nuts mammals, birds, & reptiles thrive on leaves & insects DECIDUOUS = leaves fall

Grassland Average Temp. (Summer: 30ºC Winter: 0ºC) •Average Yearly Rainfall 25 to 75 cm Adapt to: Drought, fires, no cover from sunlight, Animals grazing prevents growth of trees & shrubs Plants: grasses and wild flowers Animals: small seed-eating animals: prairie dogs & mice, large mammals

Savanna •Average Temp. (Dry season: 34ºC Wet season: 16ºC) •Average Yearly Rainfall 150 cm Locations: Africa, India, & South America Adapt to: drought & Flooding, warm temperatures Plants in dry season: grasses dry out & turn yellow, deep roots to survive for many months without water Animals: African savanna large herbivores: elephants, giraffes, zebras, & wildebeests

Desert •Average Temp (Summer: 38ºC Winter: 7ºC) •Average Yearly Rainfall less than 25 cm Adaptations: plants grow far apart, have shallow & widespread roots Plants: cactus have fleshy stems & leaves to store water, leaves have a waxy coating to prevent water loss, spikes collect small drops of water Animals: many animals are active at night when temperatures are cooler, borough in the ground, & are dormant during the dry season (estivation). tortoises store the water under their shells

Tropical Rain Forest •Average Temp. (Daytime: 34ºC Nighttime: 20ºC) •Average Yearly Rainfall up to 400 cm Adapt to: thin soil with no nutrients, lack of light near forest floor, heavy rains, hot & humid Plants: large variety, trees with above ground roots, succulent flowering plants greater variety of organisms than any other biome (reptiles, amphibians, mammals

4 Types of FRESH WATER Streams & Rivers Examples: white water or meandering Adapt to: how quickly water moves, amount of light, amount of oxygen, in fast-moving water have adaptations to keep from being washed away: suction disks to hold rocks, insects live under rocks. Producers: algae and moss, (shrubs, grass, trees on the edges Animals: tadpoles, amphibians, snakes, insects, fish, clams & snails

FRESH WATER: Ponds and lakes Zones: littoral, open-water, deep-water Adapt to: amount of light, water depth, oxygen content Producers: algae, plankton, bacteria, cattails and rushes Small Animals: snails and insects,clams and worms bury in the mud Larger Animals: Frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes fish: bass, lake trout, catfish, carp,

Marine Intertidal zone: water is warm & receives lots of sunlight Zones: Intertidal, Neritic, Benthic Intertidal zone: water is warm & receives lots of sunlight Neritic zone: deep water of open ocean Benthic zone: no sunlight, very cold Adapt to: water temperature, depth, & the amount of light, air exposure & keep from being washed away by the waves Producers: plankton, Chemosynthesis: organisms get energy from chemicals that escape from thermal vents Animals: corals, sea turtles, fishes, dolphins, fish, whales, & sharks, worms, & crabs which get food by eating material that sinks from above

Estuaries Description: fresh water from streams & rivers spill into the ocean, rich in nutrients Adapt to: fresh water & salt water are always mixing changing the salinity (salt content) Producers: water grasses, plankton, algae Animals: Mammals like manatee, dolphins & otters, birds, fish, worms

HAS TREES Wetland --Swamps Description: ecosystem of trees and vines in low-lying areas beside slow-moving rivers, flooded part of the year Adapt to: fires, lack of sunlight, methane gas Plants: trees: willows, bald cypresses, and oaks, & vines, orchids, water lilies Animals: fish, snakes, & birds, alligators HAS TREES

HAS GRASS/ NO TREES Wetland--Marshes Description: treeless wetland ecosystem found in shallow areas along the shores of lakes, ponds, rivers, & streams Adapt to: depth of water, amount of light, temperatures Plants: grasses, reeds, bulrushes, & wild rice are common Animals: muskrats, turtles, frogs, and birds live in marshes HAS GRASS/ NO TREES